You can avoid getting COVID by:

●        Wearing a tight-fitting mask over your nose and mouth when you are in a public spaces

●        Keeping at least 6 feet from anyone outside of your home

●        Staying home as much as possible

●        Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds frequently

●        Avoiding gathering with people outside of your home

●        Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces in your environment

Learn more here about preventing COVID: link 

Yes. COVID spreads through tiny droplets that are created when someone with the virus coughs, sneezes, sings, talks, or breathes. Droplets can land on surfaces or they can hang in the air. One of the ways someone can get COVID is through breathing in these tiny droplets. When you wear a mask, you gain some protection from breathing in large amounts of other peoples’ droplets. You also prevent others from breathing in large amounts of your droplets.

Keep in mind though, masks are not 100% effective. Why? When people are close (less than 6 feet) to each other, there is still a chance of breathing in (and sharing) small amounts of droplets. This is true even when everyone is wearing masks. That’s why we should all wear masks AND keep our distance from others outside of our homes. The more distance you can create between you and people outside of your house, the better.

Yes. Masks and social distancing in combination with handwashing are the best tools to prevent COVID infection, both for yourself and others.

Wearing a mask reduces the likelihood of getting or spreading COVID.  However, masks are not 100% effective. When people are close to each other (less than 6 feet), there is still a chance of breathing in (and sharing) virus particles. This is true even when everyone is wearing masks. That’s why we should all wear masks AND keep our distance from others. The more distance you can create between you and people outside of your house, the better.

To learn more about social distancing, watch this video by Auntie Misty Cook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNuNyz3_vos&t=3s

●        Before eating or touching your food

●        Before touching your face

●        After using the restroom

●        After coughing or sneezing

●        After blowing your nose

●        After touching your mask

●        After leaving a public place

●        After changing a diaper

●        After caring for someone sick

●        After touching animals or pets

Disinfect “high touch” surfaces daily. High touch surfaces include door handles, faucets, remote controls, light switches, keyboards, desks, phones, tables and anything else in your home that you regularly touch.

For more information: link 

You should get tested if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID. Common symptoms of COVID include fever, cough, congestion, runny nose, headache, fatigue, sore throat, muscle or body aches, loss of taste, loss of smell, nausea, and diarrhea. Severe symptoms of COVID include trouble breathing, pain or pressure in the chest, inability to wake up or stay awake, bluish lips, and confusion. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these severe symptoms of COVID, seek immediate medical attention.

You should also get tested if you have been exposed or may have been exposed to someone who was infected with COVID-19.

There are regular free testing events for Stockbridge-Munsee community members, as well as in the surrounding Shawano and Menominee counties. Also, the clinic provides COVID testing by appointment. To set up an appointment, call the Stockbridge-Munsee Health & Wellness Center Triage line at 715-793-5087.

Yes. COVID tests are free at community testing events and at the Stockbridge-Munsee Health & Wellness Center. We care about our community and want everyone to get tested without cost being a barrier.

Sickness varies from person to person. To ensure the safety of those around you, follow the guidance provided to you by contact tracers and medical staff. Never ever break your quarantine or isolation on your own, just because you feel better. You may be putting everyone around you at risk, and you are breaking tribal law.

Individuals and households who are under quarantine or isolation orders can only be released by public health or medical staff before coming out of quarantine or isolation. Employees will require public health or medical staff clearing them to return to work.

For information about quarantining : link 

For information about isolating: link

It’s not known exactly how long you personally will remain contagious for. To ensure the safety of those around you, follow the guidance provided to you by contact tracers and medical staff.

If someone in your household is sick with COVID or tests positive for COVID (even if they don’t look sick) you should:

●        If possible, have the sick/ positive person use a separate bathroom and bedroom

●        Avoid sharing personal items, such as toothbrushes and cups

●        Everyone in the home, including the sick/positive person, should wear a mask

●        Open your windows as much as possible to reduce virus particles in the air

●        Keep pets away from the sick/positive person

●        Everyone should regularly wash their hands and hand sanitize

●        Disinfect high touch surfaces daily

If someone tests positive for COVID, they will be asked to quarantine.

Their household will be asked to isolate.

Please note: The tribe’s definitions of quarantine and isolation are different than CDC’s.

For information about how to quarantine : link 

For information about how to isolate: link

For information about caring for a sick person: link 

Community members who live on the reservation fall under the Tribe’s jurisdiction. When one of these individuals tests positive for COVID-19, they are required by tribal law to quarantine.

If you test positive for COVID at a community testing event or at the Stockbridge-Munsee Health and Wellness Center, you will be contacted by one of the tribe’s contact tracers. The contact tracer will ask you questions about whom you have been in contact with. One of the primary goals of contact tracers is to stop COVID from spreading in our community. Please be open and honest with our contact tracers. Do you best to share as much useful information as possible.

If you test positive for COVID, you will be asked to quarantine.

Your household will be asked to isolate.

Please note: The tribe’s definitions of quarantine and isolation are different than CDC’s.

For information about how to quarantine : link

For information about how to isolate: link 

If you test positive for COVID, you will be required by tribal law to quarantine. Your household will be required to isolate.

Quarantining means that you (the person who tested positive) must:

·         Stay at home at all times

·         Not have any visitors to your home

·         Only leave your home for medical purposes

·         Have others drop off medicines, food, and other essentials on your porch

·         Avoid all contact with people outside of your home

While you are quarantining and your household is isolating:

·         If possible, have the person who tested positive use a separate bathroom and bedroom

·         Avoid sharing items, such as toothbrushes, cups, and other personal items

·         Open your windows as much as possible to reduce virus particles in the air

·         Keep pets away from the person who tested positive

·         Everyone should regularly wash their hands and hand sanitize

·         Disinfect high touch surfaces daily

For information about how to isolate: link 

When an individual tests positive for COVID, they are placed on quarantine orders, and their household is placed on isolation orders. When this occurs, the tribe will provide the individual and their household with a box of equipment which includes thermometers and a pulse oximeter (which measures your oxygen levels).

Every 1-2 days a contact tracer assigned to your case will speak with the individual who tested positive on the phone. During these calls the contact tracer will gather important information about how you are feeling. They will also provide you with step-by-step guidance for how to best care for yourself and your loved ones. Finally, they will connect you with any services you might need, such as medicine drop off and food distribution.

After testing positive for COVID, individuals will need to quarantine until all 3 statements are true:

1.      It been at least 10 days* since your symptoms first appeared or it has been at least 10 days since you received a positive COVID test result

2.      You haven’t had a fever for at least 24 hours (w/o using medicines that reduce fevers)

3.      All of your symptoms have improved

Individuals and households who are under quarantine or isolation orders can only be released by public health or medical staff before coming out of quarantine or isolation. Employees will require public health or medical staff clearing them to return to work.

* Please note: individuals with more severe cases of COVID-19 (those hospitalized for COVID, or those with an autoimmune disorder) may be required to quarantine for a longer period of time. This determination will be made by a physician. Also, please note that the tribe’s requirements for quarantine and isolation are more conservative than CDC guidance. As a tribal nation we are exercising our tribal sovereignty in order to keep our people safe based on our community’s unique conditions and circumstances. We also reserve the right to alter these when needed.

Anyone who resumes normal daily activities without being officially released from quarantine or isolation is breaking tribal law and is subject to prosecution to the full extent of the law. This may sound harsh, but our peoples’ lives are at stake. It is vital that everyone do their part to stop the spread of COVID. If you are aware of someone breaking quarantine or isolation unlawfully, please contact Detective Clint Gourley at (715) 793-4501 (phone) or (715) 881-0585 (cell).

If you believe you had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID, you must notify the tribe’s Lead Contact Tracer at (715)-793-5616. You must also immediately isolate yourself in your home. If you are a tribal employee, you must notify Occupational Health and immediately isolate yourself in your home.

For information about how to isolate: link

After notifying the tribe’s Lead Contact Tracer or Occupational Health (employees only), you will be contacted by one of the tribe’s contact tracers. If the contact tracer confirms that you were, in fact, in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you will be required to get tested for COVID-19.

If you test positive for COVID, you must quarantine, and your household must isolate.

If your results are negative, you must isolate yourself in your home for 14 days from the date of close contact with the person who tested positive. While in isolation, it is your responsibility to isolate yourself at home and monitor yourself for symptoms.

For information about how to quarantine : link 

For information about how to isolate: link 

Community members who live on the reservation, fall under the Tribe’s jurisdiction.

If you fall under tribal jurisdiction, you are required to isolate by tribal law if you meet any one of the following criteria:

1.      You have two or more symptoms of COVID

2.      You live with a person who tested positive for COVID

3.      You believe you had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID

4.      It is confirmed by a contact tracer that you had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID (but you tested negative)

If you meet any one of the first 3 criteria above: in addition to isolating at home, you must immediately notify the tribe’s Lead Contact Tracer at (715)-793-5616. If you are a tribal employee, you must immediately notify Occupational Health.

Anyone under tribal jurisdiction who resumes normal daily activities without being officially released from isolation or quarantine is breaking tribal law and is subject to prosecution to the full extent of the law. This may sound harsh, but our peoples’ lives are at stake. It is vital that everyone do their part to stop the spread of COVID. If you are aware of someone breaking isolation or quarantine unlawfully, please contact Detective Clint Gourley at (715) 793-4501 (phone) or (715) 881-0585 (cell).

A person is considered to be an indirect contact of a person who tested positive for COVID-19 if they have contact with someone who is not positive, but who is considered to be a close contact of a person who tested positive for COVID-19.

We know this gets confusing, so here is an example:

Sam tested positive for COVID-19.

Bob met the criteria for being a close contact of Sam’s. Bob has not tested positive.

Tam met the criteria for being a close contact of Bob’s. Tam is considered to be an indirect contact of Sam’s (even though she never met Sam).

If overtime Bob tests positive, Tam’s status changes. Tam is now considered to be a close contact of Bob’s.

For information who is considered a close contact: link 

If you believe you are an indirect contact, you should notify the Stockbridge-Munsee Health and Wellness Center at 715-793-5087 and request to be tested for COVID-19. If you are an employee of the tribe, you must notify Occupational Health. Employees will be required to get tested for COVID-19.

At this time, it is our best understanding that you should be tested 4-5 days after your last contact with the person who may have exposed you to the virus.

If the results are positive you must quarantine. And your household must isolate.

If the results are negative you must monitor yourself for symptoms. If symptoms appear, community members must notify the tribe’s Lead Contact Tracer at (715)-793-5616. If you are an employee of the tribe and symptoms appear, you must notify Occupational Health. If symptoms become severe or life-threatening, call 911 or go to the Emergency Room.

There are multiple vaccines being developed. In the U.S., as of late November 2020, there are 6 vaccines under development. However, the next step in the process for vaccines is qualifying for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Only those that qualify can move on to the American Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which will meet to set the guidelines on who should receive the vaccine and other issues. Once both the FDA and the ACIP have given approval of a vaccine and guidelines have been set, that vaccine can be administered.

Two vaccines – produced by Pfizer and Moderna – are closest to being available. Large studies of these two vaccines have been completed.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines both require 2 doses. The Pfizer vaccine doses are given 21 days apart. The Moderna vaccine doses are given 28 days apart.

Initial results of studies of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines show that the vaccine decreased the risk of getting sick with COVID-19 by about 95%.

For example, in the Pfizer study, out of over 43,000 participants, 162 participants who received placebo (a salt water injection) got sick with COVID-19 and only 8 participants who received the vaccine got sick with COVID-19. The vaccine was equally effective across all age, gender, and race/ethnicity groups.

In the Pfizer and Moderna studies, the most common side effects included soreness, redness, or swelling around the injection site, fatigue, body aches, or headache. These are similar side effects to the flu shot. There were no serious adverse events.

There were no serious adverse side effects reported in the ~75,000 participants in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine studies. Safety of these vaccines will be evaluated on an ongoing basis. There will be a special vaccine monitoring system put into place just for the COVID vaccines called V-Safe that will be an app on a phone to report any issues with the vaccine in real time. There will be ongoing safety surveillance for COVID vaccines through the CDC’s Vaccine Safety Datalink.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do not contain whole virus, so they cannot cause COVID-19. The vaccines consist of small parts of the virus. When your body sees these small parts of the virus, it makes fighter anti-bodies that attack COVID if it gets in your system later. These little fighters hide until they need to help you out.

Once one or both of these vaccines are approved and guidelines are set, we expect to receive the first shipments of vaccine a little before or a little after Christmas. But we don’t know for certain. We will have very limited supplies at first.

Healthcare workers, essential workers, Elders, and those who are at high risk for getting sick from COVID will be initially prioritized for vaccination. The specifics of the vaccine distribution process are being developed. We will keep everyone updated about this via email, mail, and online.

No, at this time all of the doses are being purchased by the U.S. government. Your insurance carrier may be billed for the administration fee, but you will not have to pay out of pocket.

At this time, we are not making the COVID vaccines mandatory for tribal employees. We encourage our employees to receive the vaccination to protect our families, fellow staff, and patients and to increase the likelihood we stay healthy to care for our patients.

We know a COVID vaccine is on the way. If you have questions about whether or not you should get the vaccine, contact the Stockbridge-Munsee Health and Wellness Center now at 715-793-5087. Our providers can help answer your questions, so you are prepared when the vaccine becomes available, which may be very soon.